Algiers: Algeria is in the midst of battling widespread wildfires that have resulted in the deaths of 12 individuals and injuries to dozens more. Sixty-four wildfires continue to burn across 10 provinces, with the majority located in the eastern Jijel province. Authorities have successfully extinguished 110 out of 174 fires that erupted nationwide in the past 24 hours.

According to Anadolu Agency, a statement from the General Directorate of Civil Protection revealed that Jijel leads in the number of ongoing fires with 20, followed by Skikda with 14, El Tarf near the Tunisian border with 10, Guelma with six, Annaba with five, and Bejaia with four. Additional fires are being fought in Bouira, Tebessa, Constantine, and Mila.

Emergency teams are engaged in firefighting efforts, utilizing aerial support from BE-200 military aircraft, AT-802 firefighting aircraft, and Mi-26 helicopters. Active firefighting operations are underway in various regions, including Taxenna, Ziama Mansouriah, El Milia, Ouled Yahia Khedrouche, and Chekfa in Jijel, as well as in Skikda, El Tarf, and Annaba.

The fires, which began on Wednesday, have claimed 12 lives, with casualties reported as five in Jijel, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou, according to Interior Minister Said Sayoud. The fires have also resulted in 54 injuries, with six individuals in critical condition, as reported by the minister.

In response to the tragedy, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared three days of national mourning and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff to honor the victims. Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb has traveled to Jijel to oversee firefighting efforts and visit the injured and local residents affected by the fires.

The wildfires coincide with a severe heat wave affecting North Africa. Authorities have mobilized land and air resources to safeguard lives and property. Earlier this week, Algeria's meteorological service issued a warning of an impending heat wave in several provinces, with temperatures expected to reach 49C in certain areas.

Civil Protection data indicates a significant increase in the number of fires this year, with approximately 4,000 recorded between May 1 and July 20, compared to 1,501 during the same period last year, marking an increase of nearly 167 percent.